The Lost Choices (2015)

An unflinchingly hard-hitting and vital piece of cinema

Rape is never an easy subject to tackle in film, either dispassionately or without becoming exploitative. It is hard for men to appreciate the women’s suffering while woman are unlikely – and justifiably – to be able to contain their rage. Another issue, objectively depicting the reactions and fallout in a staunchly patriarchal society, forms the basis of this deeply harrowing film.

In his debut, Ahn Yong-Hoon bravely takes a direct accusatory swipe at Korean society as a whole for their treatment towards sexual abuse victims and women in general. Through a number of unpleasant threads all connected by the theme of the male superiority over women, this bleak and unsettling watch makes its point by taking it to the extreme as one tragedy after another unfolds.

The men don’t come of too well in this film yet this isn’t exactly a rousing feminist clarion call either, but it is a provocative essay on a subject that should affect both genders, even if it causes 50% of the audience to rethink their attitudes. Admittedly, the plot is driven by a number of contrivances but each one highlights the various issues and unjust traumas female victims endure.

For a debut effort Ahn Yong-Hoon’s direction is assured and bold, employing classic noir tricks to create atmosphere in lieu of a musical soundtrack, whilst building tension through innovative angles and framing. The first act is a bit choppy with the various subplots being set up through random appearances that distort the timeline but once it settles down, there is no turning back.

But this film belongs to Shin Hyun-Bin, whose essaying of the tragic and traumatised Ji-Eun is an astounding example of immersive acting. From nuanced delineation of a distraught mind to the minutiae of her body language, Shin delivers a tour de force performance of aching precision and intensity.

The Lost Choices isn’t a film about delivering solutions or empowering women; it shows us where society is going wrong and warns us of the worst that can happen if we don’t revise our attitudes.

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